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While on vacation in France I was taken with the majesty of the chateaux of the Loire Valley and decided to put together a series showcasing the architecture and gardens of these stately castles/homes. Due to the number of images I decided to highlight another four chateaux in each of three posts that follow

The Château de Chambord in Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France, is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed by King Francis I. Chambord is the largest château in the Loire Valley; it was built to serve as a hunting lodge for Francis I, who maintained his royal residences at the Châteaux de Blois and Amboise. This chateau is known for its internal and external spiral staircases, including a unique open double-helix internal staircase. The two spirals ascend the three floors without ever meeting, illuminated from above by a sort of light house at the highest point of the château.

The Château de Chenonceau spans the River Cher, near the small village of Chenonceaux in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France. It is one of the best-known châteaux of the Loire valley. The estate of Chenonceau is first mentioned in writing in the 11th century. The current château was built in 1514–1522 on the foundations of an old mill and was later extended to span the river. The bridge over the river was built (1556-1559) to designs by the French Renaissance architect Philibert de l'Orme and the gallery on the bridge, built from 1570–1576 to designs by Jean Bullant. The château is an architectural mixture of late Gothic and early Renaissance. The beautiful gardens at Chenonceau include the Catherine de Medicis garden with its central pond and the Diane de Poitiers garden with its fountain. Other than the Royal Palace of Versailles, it is the most visited château in France.

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The Château d'Amboise is located in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley on a spur above the River Loire. The site was recognized for its strategic location even before a medieval castle was constructed in the 10th Century. Expanded and improved over time, the château was seized by Charles VII of France, after its owner, Louis d'Amboise was convicted of plotting against Louis XI and condemned to be executed in 1431. However, the king pardoned him but still took his château. Once in royal hands, the château became a favourite of French kings, from Louis XI to Francis I, and was extensively rebuilt. King Charles VIII died at the château in 1498 after hitting his head on a door lintel. The château fell into decline from the second half of the 16th century and the majority of the interior buildings were later demolished, but some survived and have been restored, along with the outer defensive circuit of towers and walls. One of the unique architectural features of the château is the circular Cavalier Ramp which was used by coaches and horseback riders to ascend to or descend from the château terrace into the town. The chateau is situated at an elevation of 81 meters and dominates the skyline above the town.[url=https://flic.kr/p/2g5bZAb]

The Château d'Artigny in the Commune of Montbazon, in the department of Indre-et-Loire, France, was originally constructed around the keep of Montbazon, an advanced bastion, during the Hundred Years' War. It was subsequently demolished in 1769 by its owner, Joseph Testard de Bouranis, the king's treasurer, who replaced it with his private residence. This survived the French Revolution and was modified in the 19th Century. In July 1912 Joseph Spoturno bought the château. He was captivated by the location but, feeling the building was poorly positioned on the cliff overlooking the Indre, he had the château demolished and rebuilt 12 metres further away on foundations different from the current ones. The current incarnation was built between 1919 and 1928. Today it functions as a hotel, restaurant and spa.[url=https://flic.kr/p/2g4m4wo]

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The Chateau of Villandry is the last of the great chateaux of the Loire built during the Renaissance in the Loire Valley. The original chateau was constructed in the early 16th century by Jean Le Breton, France's Controller-General for War under King Francis I, around the original 14th-century keep. The defensive architecture was pared down, opened up and enhanced with elements of Renaissance décor. The château remained in the Le Breton family for more than two centuries until it was acquired by the Marquis of Castellane in 1754. The new owner, an appreciator of neoclassicism, made major alterations to the chateau and gardens, in keeping with the tastes of the period.

As a result of architectural changes made in the 18th century, the Renaissance chateau had lost its character: it remained that way until 1906 when Dr Joachim Carvallo and his wife Ann Coleman, heir to an American iron and steel empire, purchased Villandry. Carvallo put all his energies and fortune into restoring chateau and its gardens to their former Renaissance glory. WIth the help of a team of 100 stonemasons, he gave the chateau’s façades back their beauty. Two elements of the 18th-century décor warrant particular attention. A Louis XV staircase which has the intertwined initials of Michel-Ange de Castellane on the wrought-iron balustrade. Like the staircase, the dining room with its Provençal tones has been a listed Historic Monument since 1934. Its famous Renaissance gardens include a water garden, ornamental flower gardens, and vegetable gardens. The gardens are laid out in formal patterns created with low box hedges.[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gcrRWm]

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Set on an island in the middle of the Indre River, the Château of Azay-le-Rideau seems to rise out of the waters of the river, which reflect the castle's façades so that the château appears to float in its own image. Built between 1518 and 1527, this château is considered one of the foremost examples of early French renaissance architecture. This relatively small château is divided into two sections, the main central body and a wing at right angles to it, and displays a blend of architectural styles: the fashionable Italian renaissance style and Italianate elements that are vestiges of medieval defensive architecture. Finally, other architectural features, such as the bastion corners with their pointed conical turrets and the high, steeply sloping slate roof, help to give Azay-le-Rideau its unmistakably French appearance. The château's most prominent feature is the grand central staircase. The staircase rises in straight flights and is the oldest surviving staircase of this kind in France. The staircase has three floors, each with a double bay window forming a mezzanine which looks out over the courtyard. Inside, the ceiling of the staircase is made up of medallions sculpted with the profiles of the kings and queens of France from Louis XI to Henry IV. Also of note are the attics, where the hand-crafted wooden frame supporting the roof, has been recently restored. The current gardens were designed in the 19th century by the Biencourts, who created a large landscaped park in the English style. To the south and west, the river creates a water mirror for the château, reflecting the façades.[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gexg9A]

Mu-43 Veteran

Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos of some stunning homes and gardens and landscapes. Your photos bring these remote places to life and let us all vicariously share in your experience. It encourages me to want to visit those places too.

Mu-43 Veteran

Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos of some stunning homes and gardens and landscapes. Your photos bring these remote places to life and let us all vicariously share in your experience. It encourages me to want to visit those places too.